Early Spring Cleaning

Even though it’s not technically Spring, this past week mother nature has given most of us here on the east coast a spring tease, with mild temperatures in the high 50’s up into the mid 60’s.

Yet, knowing how psychotic the weather can be in March and April, the cold and snow aren’t over. And believe it or not I’m glad, because I’m not ready for Winter to be over just yet.

Yeah, I know most of you think I‘m crazy and would like to club me with a rubber mallet for say that, because after a rough winter most normal people are longing for Spring and Summer.

However, I’m not normal. I’m irregular.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love Spring, it’s Summer I’m not fond of. As most of my longtime blogging friends know, I can’t stand being hot. And hot to me is 75 degrees, therefore Summer is like experiencing a three month visitation into the depths of HELL.

Having had a break from work this week, I was overwhelmed with the desire to do a bit of spring cleaning. It began on Monday and has been going on all week.

Let’s see…..

I washed and relined my bookshelves with new shelf paper.

I threw out an old chair that was cluttering my studio apartment.

I tossed away a fake floral arrangement that was so dust-ridden it resembled a Dust Bunny Chia Pet.

I also tossed an old lamp I’ve been swearing I would get a new lamp shade for, but haven’t done so in over a year.

I went through all my old bills, bank statements and work invoices; trashing them.

I scrubbed the bathroom from top to bottom and washed my hardwood floors. I cleaned like Joan Crawford on a 1 a.m. Mommie Dearest binge.

I also threw out a few pairs of old shoes and sneakers that were no longer wearable, yet had been hanging onto them just in case I got the sudden urge to go clam digging.

Oooooo….which reminds me, I bought myself a new pair of sneakers yesterday, look…….

Aren’t they nice? VERY comfortable. I got them on sale at Payless.

I also did something very Martha Stewartish. I made some potpourri out of two dozen roses we had displayed at work on Valentine’s Day. I dried the petals and then sprinkled them with rose essential oil.

My apartment smells like fresh roses!

Well, there you have it folks, my spring cleaning week in review.

It’s been so therapeutic and cleansing.

Hope you’re enjoying this spring tease, however don’t get too use to it because I have a feeling we’ll be getting more of this……

46 comments

First, I can say that I can relate so much to your Spring cleaning. Congrats are in order first for decluttering and cleaning out.Don't you feel lighter and fresher??

Can you just imagine that since last year, it has been like perpetual "Spring cleaning". That is how it is when you clear out a house of a relative that has passed away. Our job is MASSIVE. My in-laws were like pack rats & accumulated so much in their lifetime.

An acquaintance of mine had a saying for what we are doing. She said that we are "releasing these objets back into the Universe".Some are given to charity, others trashed. We will eventually rent a vehicule and trash others at a local dump.

Your new sneakers look fresh and ready to meet Spring! Now, a few new pieces of clothing and you will be classy :)

Please fill us into the location of your last snowy pic. Is that still the Schuylkill?

Oooh Ron, you're a proper tease. After a spell of milder but still cold weather I faced an icy blast this moning. The wind, damn it, was fiercely cold and the forecast is for a wet and extra cold weekend with snow to follow. I hate it. And yes, like you I also hate the summer ... when we have one, that is. Now that I've got that off my chest, perhaps I could prevail on your energetic goodwill to pop over here and clean my house. Yes? Good man! I saw a cobweb yesterday, got out the long handled feather duster and swept it across the pelmet - only to be covered by a shower of dust. Okay, so I'm idle; you can blame that on the excessive cold that has killed all desire to move about doing things. I only come into my own at bedtime where I can hug my hot wheat bags (grins) like they were flippin' teddy bears. Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Wow.I'm thoroughly enjoying the photos--even the snowy one (what a great shot!).

And what a couple of springlike days we've had, eh? I'll just remain grateful for the break of subzero/snowy/gray days and remain hopeful that we peaked the winter season (on a downhill slide since the groundhog said we would be, right? oh please say 'right'...LOL)

I do need to get some of that spring cleaning frenzy started--even a droplet of that sort of energy would be a very good thing.Where DO we get all this 'stuff'?! And what's up with hangin' on to lamps we're going to get shades for and maybe 'fix up'?Yeah, I have one of those--maybe it can join yours?

Maybe this weekend would be a good time to clear out some things.....or.....maybe not. LOLI know I'll feel good about getting things pared down and cleared out once it's actually done....sometimes.......next week.....maybe.... :-/

Thank you. I took that snow shot a few weeks ago right after we a snow storm. The flower shot I took earlier this week, it was in front of a grocery store that sold flowers. Aren't they beautiful roses?

" I'll just remain grateful for the break of subzero/snowy/gray days and remain hopeful that we peaked the winter season (on a downhill slide since the groundhog said we would be, right? oh please say 'right'...LOL)"

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Right!

I know your winters are much more intense and longer than we have here, so I understand your feelings.

I normally don't get to spring cleaning until much later, however I got a sudden burst of energy to start it this week.

"And what's up with hangin' on to lamps we're going to get shades for and maybe 'fix up'?Yeah, I have one of those--maybe it can join yours?"

OMG, I hung onto that lamp for over a year; swearing I was going to get a new lamp shade. Finally I thought, "OUT WITH IT!"

I'm so glad I did this spring cleaning, it felt so therapeutic and cleansing.

Always great to see ya, dear lady! Hope all is well and that you have a wonderful weekend!

Very Zen. I do not understand anyone who enjoys the cold. I only understand my friend Anna who was born and raised in the wilds of Russia. When it's 40 degrees she wears a sweater. When it's 40 degrees I stay home.Anyhoo, I love cleaning out and tossing. Anything and I mean anything( but my books), go if they have't been used or jazzed up in a year. I become a maniac and must admit some beloved things have mistakenly moved on to more appreciative hands. Sad but true. Cleaning out and re-oranizing has a positive effect on my mind. I feel so much more clarity, I have to wear shades.Ron, I stopped blogging almost 6 months ago. You used to be a follower of mine. The blog was called "Just life as it is". Come see my new blog. I have resurrected! It's called Everyday Radiance.

"I do not understand anyone who enjoys the cold. I only understand my friend Anna who was born and raised in the wilds of Russia. When it's 40 degrees she wears a sweater. When it's 40 degrees I stay home."

HAHAHAHHAAHHA! Yeah, I know...I'm a rare bird when it comes to the cold. I LOVE it. And speaking of Russia, I've always wanted to go there in the dead of Winter.

"Cleaning out and re-oranizing has a positive effect on my mind. I feel so much more clarity, I have to wear shades."

How funny! I agree, cleaning out and re-organizing DOES have a positive effect on the mind and soul.

OMG, Duh...NOW I know who you are!!! I had no idea you were the Paula from your other blog?!?!?! Didn't you move to Florida?

If I had to drive in the snow, I'd want to club you, but since I don't...It is quite pretty to look at and play in, but gets old quickly. Kind of like we can't wait until summer and then we want it over. Now spring and fall, I could enjoy all year long. Seriously though, I love the changing of the seasons. It's nature at its best to experience the sights and sounds of all its glory! Hoping you have a fabulous weekend!

It does wonders on the psyche to de-clutter doens't it? My big clean was swiping a clean swathe in my fridge before putting the groceries away. I am trying not to turn around and notice the baskets of laundry sneaking up behind me begging to be put away. Spring cleaning is a ways off here I am afraid, but the sunshine is a sweet treat. Happy Friday Ron!

Puhleez send the fairy-godmother of housecleaning my way when she's finished there with you. Somehow I never quite get that inspired. But I'm all over that Martha Stewart stuff. Oh yeah. Nice sneakers :)Have a fun weekend.

"If I had to drive in the snow, I'd want to club you, but since I don't...It is quite pretty to look at and play in, but gets old quickly."

Yeah, I think if I had to drive in the snow, I would want to club me too - HA! That's one of the cool things about living in city - no car. And also, the snow is taken care of by the city, so I don't have to shovel. Alleluia!

"Now spring and fall, I could enjoy all year long."

You said it! I was born in the fall.

" I love the changing of the seasons. It's nature at its best to experience the sights and sounds of all its glory!

OMG, I soooooooooo agree with you. That's one of the things I missed about living in Florida. I'm so glad to be back north; enjoying the changes. There's nothing like it, hu?

"Puhleez send the fairy-godmother of housecleaning my way when she's finished there with you."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I will!

The only reason I got THAT inspired is because I've been off this week and had some free time. Normally, my spring cleaning doesn't start until the end of March or even April. By that time this year, I probably have to do it again!

I've been feeling very Martha Stewartish lately too. I think your wonderful blog has a lot to do with that. It really has inspires me!

Oooooo....I wore my new sneakers today and they felt so faaaaaaabulous!

Hey Ron, You know me in that I am so looking forward to summertime, sad thing is we complain about cold in winter and heat in the summer, so with that said I think everyone has to agree spring is about the best, Thank you for giving us a bit of a preview.

Funny someone else just finished shopping for footwear and I had to post about it today Ha Ha

I don't think it's weird at all, Ron. In fact, I daresay you and I are kindred spirits! Well, except my townhouse doesn't smell like roses. But I love winter too and can't stand it when the temperature climbs above 70. Ironically, while you guys had been in the deep freeze with all that snow we were basking in dry, mild weather. Now the tables have turned and we had a little snow this week - and it's about to get even colder next week. Winter ain't over here yet!

Ahahaha! No, I don't want to club you with a rubber mallet, especially since learning how much you love Johnny Depp. I couldn't possibly club a fellow fan! ;)

I wish I could go through the place like a dose of salts throwing things away right, left and centre, but it's something I have difficulty with on many levels. I'd have swished that Chia Pet floral arrangement in a bucket of soapy water and hung it upside to dry and it would have been ... well, maybe not as good as new, but clean!

The shoes look great!! Cross trainers, I think, which are the only sort which I get along with. And the pot pourri .. what can I say? You are more domesticated than I am!

Now this is funny, because we awoke this morning to snow! I was lulled into a false security, by the sunshine we've been having, into thinking Spring was on its way. Of course I should have know better really.

By the way, I love winter. I do like summer too, because our temperatures don't often get above 75. When they do, I stay indoors in the cool :)

oh ron, i would never want to club you with a rubber mallet...why waste both our time with that? rubber is too soft for your hard head, right? :) and this is priceless::I tossed away a fake floral arrangement that was so dust-ridden it resembled a Dust Bunny Chia Pet. lololol, do you really even allow those in your place/?? naughty naughty boy...never do that, they are simply WRONG, ron. xxx

i think this is ALL very martha of you and i wish you lived close enough to come and do this stuff for me...wow what a miserable failure i am after reading this...and i have no excuses whatsoever, well, besides the obvious.. omg, how i too hate summer heat, detest it with a passion and it makes me pass right out besides--neurally mediated hypotension , i call it one of the shittier sides of autoimmune disease. we are trying to figure out what to do with our rather large house that is NOT AC'd, like the fools we were, we thought we didn't need...well, like hell we didn't but when you build a house on land you have never lived on, you just can't know everything. if you have a spare $20grand to lend, i will pay good interest. ;) anyway, my friend, lovely post and lovely flowers, hope you bought some for your lovely residence, smelling of lovely roses...i make that every summer, one of the few things i like about the damned time of year. grumble grumble... just hit ME with a rubber mallet about june and don't let me wake up til november. i live in the wrong place. and i can't sell my body anymore, no one would buy it...whine whine whine...i could just go on and on so shut up, linda. freakin' nutcase... ♥

"I tossed away a fake floral arrangement that was so dust-ridden it resembled a Dust Bunny Chia Pet. lololol, do you really even allow those in your place/?? naughty naughty boy...never do that, they are simply WRONG, ron."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No, I don't allow them, however my eyesight (without my reading glasses) is getting so bad, I hadn't seen them collecting on the flower arrangement. OMG, they were HORRIBLE!

"i think this is ALL very martha of you and i wish you lived close enough to come and do this stuff for me..."

Oh, I wish I did too! We would have a BLAST making potpourri, soaps, bath salts, etc. I've seen your stuff on your other blog and it's faaaabulous!

"we are trying to figure out what to do with our rather large house that is NOT AC'd, like the fools we were, we thought we didn't need..."

OMG, that's right I forgot, you don't have AC in your home. I would die without it here in summer - it's so hot and humid. And smelly!

"if you have a spare $20grand to lend, i will pay good interest."

HA! If I had a spare $20grand, I'd just GIVE it to you. No interest.

Me too, that's probably the ONLY thing I enjoy about the summer - the flowers. Oh, and the great produce - yummy!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, dear friend. Always a joy to see your comments.

I was so enjoying the 50 degree weather we got this past week. Today we are having a blizzard, literally. I'm completely bummed. We were having such a good melt and now it's just getting replaced. Wow, I need you to come to my house and help me spring clean. I'm usually such a fuss budget but I've got little piles of things growing around the house. And, it's driving me crazy. I need to take an organizational day. Snow's coming your way, or at least colder temps.

Yup, I bet you were! I honestly have to say that I too enjoyed it here, but only because I knew it would only be a matter of time before we got hit with more cold and snow - HA! And we did about three days ago. Not snow, but cold. It's FREEZING!

"Wow, I need you to come to my house and help me spring clean."

I normally don't do any spring cleaning until the end of March or the beginning of April, however having this week off inspired me to start a bit early.

no, i don't want to club you with a mallet. haha! i really would love to experience spending time at a 4 seasons country. best if i could go through all the seasons one after another! i bet the experience would be so awesome! i don't think you can visit us since you dislike the heat. for most of the days here, we are sweating because of it. though somehow, it started raining more often these days, which many seemed to enjoy!

"i really would love to experience spending time at a 4 seasons country. best if i could go through all the seasons one after another! i bet the experience would be so awesome!"

OMG, yes....it is awesome! I use to live in Florida for 20 years, and they too don't have four seasons. The climate is much like where you are from. I enjoyed my time living there, however as I got older I began longing for the season's. My favorites are Fall and Winter, yet Spring is lovely too - all the flowers blooming!

"though somehow, it started raining more often these days, which many seemed to enjoy!"

Yes, I enjoy rain too.

Thanks for stopping by, Levian. Always so nice to see your comments. Hope you had a flawless weekend!

I was off on Friday, the NICEST day of the year so far. But instead of going out and about, I did what you did...I threw all my windows open and cleaned! There's nothing like a fresh breeze coming in one window and stuffy, winter stench going out the other.

We got our snow and SLEET back tonight. I'm sure that by morning, everyone will have forgotten to drive again.

"But instead of going out and about, I did what you did...I threw all my windows open and cleaned! There's nothing like a fresh breeze coming in one window and stuffy, winter stench going out the other."

Yaaahooooooooo! Isn't that the GREATEST feeling? My apartment smells and looks so FRESH! It feels like I have a whole new apartment!

"We got our snow and SLEET back tonight. I'm sure that by morning, everyone will have forgotten to drive again."

" I'll take you to the beach and then to the Tiki Hut for margaritas when you're done. Promise."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA! Okay, it's a deal! And then perhaps we can swing by Publix and pick up a Key Lime Pie. They have the BEST Key Lime Pie in the world! I miss Publix. Where shopping is a pleasure - HA!

oh man, i LOVE cleaning. do you clean when you're stressed or like, on overload? i often find myself becoming domestic, like cooking or cleaning whenever i'm overwhelmed cus for some reason my mind clears i'm so focused on what i'm doing.

i admit, i hate clutter yet i have a hard time throwing stuff away. i too, hold onto things thinking i'll do something creative with it, and never do.